THE SAMURAIS
by jinglebells888
Summary: My continuation to the story after the Nationals. Ryoma returns to the US to continue his professional career in tennis but his biggest rival will be no other than his father. Please read and review. All critiques welcome.
1. PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE : AFTERMATH OF THE NATIONALS

After the climatic ending of the Nationals, everything went back to normal…well, as normal as you can expect after having witness to the greatest non professional match in history. Thanks to the match, the popularity of tennis in Japan, professional and non professional alike, is at its all time highest .

Most of the people who witness the actual match between Rikkaida's captain Yukimura Seiichi and Seigaku's freshman Echizen Ryoma, has been inspired to reach higher for those who already play the sports and for those that don't , opened doors to a new world.

Everyone was astounded when all witness how Echizen rose from utter defeat then open the final door , Achievement of Flawless Unity; the ultimate mastery of tennis play, to emerge victorious. No one, not even his own teammates, believed he will win the game. Although they said otherwise, they also knew of Yukimura's reputation, undefeated and that had never dropped a game since becaming the captain of Rikkaida's tennis club. Such was the caliber of his tennis, that even someone with Echizen's tennis ability will need a miracle to overcome.

However that miracle did happen. Echizen's every move was methodically destroyed one by one. Finally, in the depths of despair, he remembered why he played tennis at all. This proved to be the key to awaken his love for tennis and the subsequent defeat of Yukimura.

His victory over Yukimura, the one they called the demigod, made history not only in the fact that Seigaku stopped the Emperors of tennis winning streak but also brought to light Echizen's biggest secret - his father, Echizen Nanjiro: THE LEGENDARY SAMURAI.

Now, finally, after waiting all these years, Echizen Nanjiro is ready to get back to the world of professional tennis. At last, he will face a worthy opponent - his own son.


	2. The Legend and The Prince

AUTHORS NOTE: I FORGOT TO PUT A DISCLAIMER ON THE PROLOGUE, SO HERE IT GOES…I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS AND ANYTHING CONNECTED TO IT.

I also like to thank all who took time to read my fiction, most specially to those who made an effort to review it. I will try my best to update as soon as I can but it might take time since I am not that familiar with the anime and manga and will need constant referral to the original storyline.

As always, please enjoy. All critiques are welcome.

CHAPTER 1: THE LEGEND AND THE PRINCE

The world is abuzz with the news of the Legendary Samurai's sudden reappearance in the tennis world. The fact that that he is also the father of the celebrated high school player Echizen Ryoma made them more than a noteworthy topic all over Japan.

No one was surpised with the news that Ryoma will be quitting high school tennis and pursue a professional career in the US. What no one predicted is the fact that Nanjiro will also make a comeback to professional tennis. All thought that the legendary tennis player will stay in the shadows and let his son take center stage. The possibility that father and son will face each other across the court in a professional match took the tennis world by storm.

As soon as the news hit the US, requests for interviews and matches came one after the other. All clamor to see the father -son duo display their incredible tennis genius in a match. Replays and reruns of the legendary samurai 's matches and interviews as well as Ryoma's last winning match for the Nationals were all over TV.

Sports commentaries and specials were done on both the father and son, dissecting every move and individual play of each, all asking the same question - who will be the better tennis player. Although all knew of the legend that Nanjiro left behind, nobody can dispute the incredible talent

the younger samurai possesses. After all, his deciding match in the Nationals, although fought within high school clubs, is a stuff legends are made of. This made him a formidable figure in the tennis world and also earned him the nickname SAMURAI PRINCE.

Everyone waited with batted breath for the most anticipated match between the two samurais, however, everyone will be disappointed. Nanjiro, having lost ground for 11 years, opted to start from the bottom and climb his way up, building his reputation and rank along the way, to have enough qualifications to participate in any main tournaments. On the other hand, Ryoma, having been a quarter finalist in the prestigious US open tournament he had previously participated in, has advance to the other title matches as a seeded player.

As expected, Nanjiro went through his opponents like the legendary player that he was. He cut his way to easy victory during the preliminaries, leaving a wake of devastated players behind. For those players that thought they can win against him; having been out of circulation for so long; were quickly dissuaded of the notion within minutes of the match against the legendary samurai. None even come close to the genius of his plays and the results were rather embarrassing for his opponents. Nanjiro was ruthless in his games, ending the matches quickly, with the opponents not even scoring a point. Most have never or cant remember when the last time they have seen such level of tennis. His already legendary reputation grew leaps and bounds so that his would be opponents can only hope and pray not for victory, but to not embarrass themselves too much on the court.

Echizen's Nanjiro's rapid rise to the top ranks of tennis players while not a surprised to most, made a believer to the few that were not convinced of his abilities. Within this tight circle of seeded players, most were eager to play against him while some are fearful of his incredible tennis.

Echizen Ryoma, on his part, is also making quite a reputation for himself. Unlike his old man, he gets to play in title matches and thus face more high ranking players. Although his matches don't end as quickly nor as dramatically as his dad's, he still won them all, proving to all that he more than deserve his new nickname of Samurai Prince.

Unbeknownst to all, even to Ryoma, there is a hidden motive for Nanjiro's decision to start at the bottom. He is actually buying time for his son to gain more experience against high level opponents. After all, Ryoma has no experience using his newly acquired skills in a professional match. Nanjiro wanted Ryoma to polish his skills enough before they face off. That is the only way they can have an even match.

With both father and son dominating both the low and high level tournaments, all eyes are eagerly awaiting for the epic match between the two. In the meantime, both samurais are leaving no stone unturned, one solidifying his legend while the other creating a new one….


	3. The Return of the Legend

CHAPTER 2: THE RETURN OF THE LEGEND

It was a sight rarely seen on any minor event. The stadium is fully packed, close to bursting, as all seats are taken and even the steps on the stairs were used as extra seats. Most people are there to watch the legendary tennis player but a few are there merely to star gaze as some of the most well known faces in the tennis world are within the audience, also watching the match or to be more precise, watching the controversial samurai.

The crowd was once again treated to a perfect game from the legendary samurai. It was such a disappointing game, what with the opponent clearly overwhelmed by the much stronger player. It was almost comical to watch a known player struggle so hard to return the ball on the other side of the net, let alone score points. The loser put up a valiant effort, but in the end, it was not even close to overcome the genius tennis play of the victor. Most of the professional tennis players in the audience suffered sympathy pains with the beaten player. A few had actually been in the same situation but for those that have not, they know well enough that their skills are no match for the legend and so they anticipate the same fate.

This wasn't always the case. When the legend first started playing after his long hiatus, a lot of the young, up and coming pro players, looked down on him and tried to mentally break him down even before the match. Of course, the veteran pros could have warned them but they figured that these young upstarts need a lesson and two and who better to dish it out than the samurai himself.

And so the game and the show began. Nanjiro, true to form will it a point to make his opponent look like a fool. He sometimes play with his eyes closed, or standing on one foot or even with his back turned towards his opponents. He does these things and yet able to return shots with pinpoint accuracy to areas where his opponents cant reach. He also takes great pleasure in breaking his opponents signature moves, making it look useless in the face of his own brand of tennis (someone comes to mind).

The crowd loved it. At first, there was the predictable shocked silence then the roaring approval from the audience. It became so talked about that soon, even ordinary people who had no interest in the sports whatsoever felt compelled to at least watch what everyone was so hyped about.

Everyone who thought tennis was boring quickly changed their minds (at least whenever Nanjiro was playing). The samurai, apart from his antics in the court, also took the habit of interacting with the audience while playing. He will ask random people where he should return the next ball or in how many moves should he end the game and other such cocky questions. Thus, whenever he is scheduled for a match, said stadium usually filled up far too early before the game. People wanted the chance to be seated within the front rows and at least near the court, in the hopes that they get tot talk with the legend. In fact, a lot of them actually prepared suggestions just in case they do get asked.

Finally, his opponents got the message and learned their lesson. There is no longer anyone who under estimates the legend or took him lightly. Everyone now knows that the legend is true and that the legend has returned, better and deadlier than ever. Soon after that, Nanjiro stopped his antics and treated his opponents with respect. He still talks to the crowd but mostly before the match, during breaks and after he won. He might have lost some fans who were there for his theatrics but he gained a more serious following - the professional tennis players.

There are two types of professional players that come out to watch Echizen Nanjiro play. One type are those that are still clueless about the man's skill and are there to see for themselves what the hype around the man is all about . The other type, in which most fall into, are the tennis players that are there to learn. Most of the professional players belonging in the latter type have already faced the legend, both in the more recent and days gone by matches. Most have also followed and watch his every match after his comeback, in the hopes of finding flaws and openings to his game. Unfortunately for them, they found none and were running out of hope that anyone can stop the legend.

Seated at the far side of the bleachers, a teenager sat in silence while everyone else were exiting the stadium. Amidst the sounds and noise of the crowd who were busy discussing the match ( as if they weren't present and just finished watching the game just moments ago), the lad sat unaware of everything else as he was fully focused on the figure of the legendary samurai.

"_So, that's what destroyed my father's tennis," _Kevin Smith thought to himself. It has been a shock to him to actually see the legend at play. Although a lot of people had recounted the story of his father's match against the samurai all those years ago, the lack of video footage (it wasn't an official match) did not prepare him for the reality of the man's genius. For the longest time, he had blamed the samurai for the subsequent downfall of his father's career. But now that he had witness for himself how powerful the legend really is, he was glad that it happened in an unofficial match, leaving no solid evidence of his father's disgraceful defeat in the man's hand.

Kevin still can't believe what he had just witness. Ryoma's father is more than what he expected, no, make that no one like he expected. He had always thought that Ryoma was a genius and a monster on the tennis court , but his father is something else entirely. Of course, he had certain expectations of the man's play, after all, he had watch enough of his old games from back in the days. The reality, however, is something indescribable. He had honestly thought that the samurai would have lost some of his edge as he has not been in any professional matches for the last 11 years. It couldn't be more far from the truth, in fact, his technique and every move looks more polished than it did years ago. He could not fathom how someone can maintain such high level of play while being absent from the tennis world. Even if he had played against Ryoma for all these years, the level of play is not comparable, for although Ryoma is a great player, even he has a hard time winning matches against the professionals and did in fact lost in the end. So where did all this talent and ability come from? Lost in his own thoughts, Kevin stood up and absently made his way out in the almost deserted stadium.

A lone man remained seated on the corner, staring into the court below. He was an old guy who was neither a current or up and coming tennis player. Neither is he a regular tennis fan. He was there to finish something, … something that should have been dealt with a long time ago.

Finally gathering up his courage, he made his way into the players' designated waiting rooms and waited for his quarry.

Nanjiro was in his way out when he spied a figure leaning against the wall seemingly waiting for someone. _Must be a fan, _he arrogantly thought to himself. Putting on a big smile, he continued towards the figure to greet his avid fan (or so he thought).

" _Oh hello there," _Nanjiro began in a thickly accented English.

" _Please grant me a match," _the other man quickly interrupted.

To say that Nanjiro was surprised was an understatement. He was aware that more than a few top seeded players wants to play him but the man standing in front of him certainly doesn't belong in that circle. He was about to decline the request when he took more careful notice of the man. Clearly, the guy had expected to be denied but is determined to ask anyway. Something about the man intrigued Nanjiro, enough to give him a game.

Wordlessly, Nanjiro brought out his racket, grabbed some tennis balls and walked into the court. The other man followed and took his position on the opposite side. Before the match began however, Nanjiro warned the other.

" _I am certain that you are not a pro tennis player, however, I'll give you the same consideration I've shown my previous opponents thus far. I will not go easy on you so if you're having second thoughts, now is the chance to turn back."_

Although obviously nervous and more than a bit scared, the other man just shook his head and took a stance.

"_I like you. You have guts," _approved a grinning Nanjiro. "_We will play one set. You can serve first._

_SWISH. KLOK…KLOK…_and so the match began.

_Not bad, _Nanjiro thought to himself, quickly assessing the skill of his opponent, _he could probably even advance a round in the preliminaries. His serves are fast and accurate, unfortunately, he was playing against me._

_SWISH, _the last ball flew by the other man's feet before he can even move.

" _I believe that makes it 6- 0, game and the match - to me," _Nanjiro concluded.

The game lasted for less than five minutes but even so the other guy was clearly winded and was grasping for breath. Nanjiro, on the other hand, didn't even break a sweat as he jumped over the net and approached his opponent.

"_Why?" _he asked simply.

" Huh…huff…huff…" the other was struggling the breath. Taking one giant gulp of air, he finally recovered enough to answer.

" _I used to be a pretty decent tennis player until an incident cause me to hate the game. Now, having played you, I finally found the reason for my tennis. It was an honor playing against you - you who is probably the greatest tennis player in the world."_ The man extended his hands for a shake, gave a bow, turned and walked away.

Nanjiro, as clueless as ever, watched the man leave. _That's odd, he didn't even asked for my autograph, _was all he thought. He was putting away his racket when he recalled what the man said, _the greatest tennis player huh, we'll see…_

Outside the stadium, Sam Smith breath in the clean fresh afternoon air. He had finally closed that chapter of his life and now at peace with himself. He was now ready to go forward and mend his ties with his wife Sara and son Kevin.

_------------------_

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I just made up names for Kevin's family since I am too lazy to check.

Thank you to everyone who read my fiction. Special thanks to the following readers who made extra effort to encourage and offer suggestions

Kuroi, afallenheart, Iyoushi and Krazeebabee.

I initially plan to make this a very short fiction, about 5 chapters only. I will try find a way to bring favorite characters from high school tennis clubs into the story. For now, please continue reading and critiques are most welcome.


	4. Here Comes The Son

**CHAPTER 3: HERE COMES THE SON**

Like his father, Echizen Ryoma's matches were also played out in a sold out crowd. Predictably, the samurai prince's audience consisted mostly of younger people. The pro tennis players that follow his games were younger and a lot were rivals during his junior level tournaments from before. The older, more veteran pro players were noticeably few, maybe because they thought that the samurai prince posed no real threat, but the real reason might be because they don't want to lower their pride and be seen checking a very young and relatively unknown player.

What came as a surprise was the presence of a lot of children, accompanied by their parents, in the audience. The children ranges from ages 5 to 12, who were amazingly enough, seemed really into the sport. It's no rocket science to figure out that the uncommon phenomenon stemmed from Ryoma's own tennis background. The samurais' unique father - son story became an inspiration and gave new hope and encouragement to families that have children who possessed tennis talent.

This sight became more and more evident as Ryoma advanced further into his tournaments, so much so that a sport writer coined the term "tennis families" for it. The moniker became so popular and widely used that it became an integral part of the tennis lingo. This new milestone once again demonstrated how much impact and influence the Samurais have in the tennis world.

In spite of his more juvenile audience, Echizen Ryoma's matches, in stark contrast to his father, are more serious in nature, not only because the matches were more prestigious but also because he has a more mature approach and quality to his games. Certainly, the cockiness, the arrogance and of course, the genius were the same, but the similarity ends there.

Ryoma, although admittedly brilliant, is more careful and deliberate in his play, lacking the legend's edge and polish. Thus, his matches, all wins so far, were almost always a close game. Just a tad below his father in skills, the prince is still the only one who can challenge the legend. Perhaps because of that and the fact that they can relate to the son more, a lot of the pros like him better and were even rooting for him to win should he end up playing against his father in a match.

Everyone's assumption was incorrect. Ryoma has purposely reigned in his play and draw his matches as long as possible (without it being obvious of course) so he can train and learn more from his opponents. He is the type of player who evolves during a game after all, and the stronger and more worthy the opponent is, the better and more honed his own skills become.

The ongoing match was no exception. The score is currently at 5-4 with Ryoma leading. The match has been going on for well over an hour, a modest enough time for a game within this high level tournament and certainly when it also involves two of the strongest tennis players; the samurai prince Ryoma and The King of Swing Pete Sampras.

The grand slam title holder, winner of a record of 14 men single's titles, was a particular hero to Ryoma. Like the prince, pistol Pete (as Sampras is also known), is an all court player. His serve and volley attacks, which earned him the nick King of Swing, was as lethal and as powerful as rumored. His running forehand, described as the best in the world was also no exaggeration.

Ryoma was ecstatic, he was having the time of his life. He made sure the former world's no.1 tennis player used all his signature moves enough so he can watch and learn and discover various counter measures. As the match progressed, he dissected his opponent's play and was able to time each swing, serve and volley and thus find the opening he needed. However, it doesn't just end there. He now needs to adjust everything to his own tennis play, not to mention his physical limitations.

Finally, after several adjustments, Ryoma not only learned these moves and evolved them to incorporate within his own play but most importantly, he was also able to find the best way to counter and seal the technique.

Drawing the match to its conclusion, Ryoma made his moves. Sampras couldn't even move, shocked to the core with disbelief. He spent almost a lifetime perfecting his moves and now, this young player not only executed it perfectly, but even made it a deadlier weapon. Sampras shook his head, thinking that the tennis world is scared of the wrong samurai. Like all the others, he had heard the news and seen the footages of the young samurai's matches. The young genius was really strong then, but now he is even stronger. His potential and growth is immeasurable and in Sampras' opinion, the son more was formidable and will herald the new age of tennis.

"_You were great, specially in that last move. You totally destroyed me. I put my money on you in your match against your dad." _Sampras said as he shook hands with Ryoma then raised both their arms to the delight of the roaring crowd.

The crowd went wild when the former world's top player raised his young opponent's hand in salute. The match was incredible, both players at the top of their game and displaying first class tennis in the 2 hour duration of the match. Although, Ryoma won, he had a hard time conquering the veteran's plays. Other top young players have also defeated the King of Swing and they didn't struggle as much as the samurai prince did. This gave a lot of people food for thought and gave rise to a whole new topic of interest. Everyone cant help but wonder if the son is really ready to face the father is an even match.

Not everyone in the audience shares the same thoughts. Someone very close to both the father and son knew exactly what Ryoma was doing. After all, having been a coach to both the legend and the prince, Ryuzaki watched how each think, train, play and grow to be the kind of players they are today and to achieve the level of play only a very few will ever reach.

" _Your thoughts?" _Ryuzaki inquired of her young companion.

"_That was a learning game - a training of sorts, if you will," _Tezuka Kumitzu almost absently answered, his gaze still on his young teammate, the pillar of Seigaku.

"_You're right. This isn't the first time we've seen him do these after all. That brat was playing his games again. But by the looks of it, we might be the only ones to catch on," _Ryuzaki said. Both her and Tesuka was not unaware of the topic being discussed around them.

" _They're in for a rude awakening and knowing Echizen, I won't be surprised if he planned it this way," _was all Tezuka replied.

Meanwhile, in the player's dressing room, Ryoma was thinking the exact same thing, things are indeed going his way and couldn't care less that his reputation is losing ground. In fact, if asked, he'll probably just say……….. _MADA MADA DANE_


	5. Pillars of Seigaku

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. Please review. As always, enjoy. Thanks.

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CHAPTER 4 : PILLARS OF SEIGAKU

"_Good game_," a very familiar voice greeted Ryoma as he came out of the stadium. Glancing around, he saw his old coach and captain standing near the exit doors.

" _What are you doing here?" _Ryoma was more than happy to see them although you won't be able to tell for all the emotions he showed.

"_We have some business in America," _Ryuzaki gestured at Tezuka. "_An agent took an interest and offered him a deal to train and make him a pro player."_

" _That's great, Buchoo." _Ryoma was truly happy for him. " _Now I won't feel so homesick for Japan."_

" _Nothing's been set in stone yet," _Tezuka shook his head.

" _Huh?" _Ryoma doesn't understand.

" _Tezuka didn't take the offer. He wanted to see for himself first how he'll compare to the talent here. Your match was the first one we saw and it was a perfect showcase of the past, present and future of American tennis." _Ryuzaki explained.

" _Arigato." _Turning to Tesuka, Ryoma said. " _You're more talented than most of the newbies here. Believe me, you'll do great."_

"_Maybe you're right." _Tezuka conceded.

Ryoma beamed. "_Where are you staying?"_

"_Well…..if it's not too much trouble, we will be staying with you. Your father has invited us but if you don't……" _Ryuzaki didn't finished talking as Ryoma started shaking his head.

" _That's great. We have all the time to talk about everything. I miss Japan so much. I miss all my sempais and friends from the club. You have to tell me all the news."_

Ryuzaki and Tezuka exchanged glances, amused to see Ryoma acting like the child he was and nothing like the player who have just run circles around a world class champion.

__________________

"_I'm home." _Ryoma shouted as they entered the house.

"_Ochibi! You're here." _Greeted an obviously drunk Nanjiro, holding an almost empty bottle in one hand. "_ Let's celebrate. I knew you won and guess what - so did I!" _Nanjiro did a little twirl or tried to but was obviously too drunk to keep his balance.

"_Dad! We have visitors!" _Ryoma was clearly exasperated with his elder.

Nanjiro stopped his jiggle for a moment before squinting his eyes towards Ryuzaki and Tezuka. " _Hello. Did you enjoy Ryoma's game?"_

" _You know they're here?" _Ryoma was confused when his father rather vigorously nodded his head, then gave out a groan at the headache it produced. Pointing to the kitchen, he said, " _There's another one inside."_

Curious, Ryoma, Tezuka and Ryuzaki went towards the kitchen.

"_Fuji. Fuji sempai." _they simultaneously exclaimed as they saw who the other visitor was.

" _Hello." _was Fuji's reply.

"_I saw him amongst my audience and invited him here. I figured, the more the merrier and we can all have a party," _was Nanjiro's drunken explanation.

Nobody paid him any heed, but instead directed a silent question to the still smiling Fuji. " _I'm here on the same business as Tezuka."_

"_You've been spotted by an agent too? Wow, that's great sempai,"_ Ryoma was as excited as when he heard Tezuka's news. "_ Now we can all play together like before."_

" _Not quite." _both Tezuka and Fuji said. " _We are hardly in your league," _Tezuka added.

" _I said it before didn't I? You'll do just fine and will be playing major tournaments in no time," _Ryoma confidently insisted.

"_Perhaps. But against you or your father, we don't have a chance at all." _Fuji replied, looking at Nanjiro with an expression of awe.

Ryoma sobered. That's right, Fuji sempai has seen his father's match. It has been an unspoken agreement between him and his dad not to talk about the each other's match beyond the outcome and they also haven't watched each other's game whether in person or on TV. Thus, he had no idea how his dad has improve his play nor him of Ryoma. However, judging from his sempai's expression, his dad must be really incredible. Although, he cant really use it as a basis because Fuji has never seen his dad play prior to this.

Tempted as he is to probe for information, Ryoma knew he couldn't as it wouldn't be fair. Glancing at his father, he was surprised to meet his eyes, which curiously enough showed no signs of drunkenness. They seem to know exactly what Ryoma is thinking. Really, sometimes his dad can be so mature, in direct contrast to his usual childish self. Sighing, he shook his head at his dad and looked away.

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Dinner was a boisterous affair, well, it was mostly because of the antics of Nanjiro. Although all of them are tennis fanatics, nothing related to professional tennis was mentioned. Instead, they reminisced about the past, present and future of the Seigaku's tennis club.

When Fuji let slipped that Echizen was the pillar of Seigaku, Nanjiro let out a loud guffaw.

" _Blood tells, wouldn't you say Nanjiro?" _Ryuzaki enigmatically said.

"_Hmmm…hmmm,"_ Nanjiro agreed in between laughter.

" _Don't tell me….." _Fuji quickly caught on the implication.

Ryuzaki nodded while Tezuka looked at Nanjiro then Ryoma. It took Ryoma a moment more to get what everybody is thinking then he too looked at his dad then at Tezuka.

_Unbelievable, _was the word that crossed his mind, to think that the three of them were at one time been Pillars of Seigaku and all of them served under the same coach. For some reason, it seemed like a momentous occasion to him and he raised his glass (of water) to both Pillars of Seigaku, his predecessors, his father and his captain.

Nanjiro and Tezuka both raised their own glass in response, acknowledging the salute. Ryuzaki and Fuji also joined in the toast and they all cheered.

" _TO SEIGAKU"_


	6. Misgivings

**CHAPTER 5: MISGIVINGS**

"_Game set, Ryoma Echizen; 6-4,"_ the umpire announced the conclusion of the French Open and proclaimed Ryoma as the winner.

Ryoma bowed down his head as he said a quick prayer of thanks. His victory was relatively easy. His opponent, Andy Roddick, seeded 6 in the world, was a great player. However, towards the latter part of the game, Roddick slowed considerably, his shots not as sharp and thus eventually lost the match. Ryoma guessed that Roddick's old injuries might be the cause for his sudden drop of speed and accuracy.

This is Ryoma's second title for the Grand slam series. He had won the Australian Open by only a margin and in a long drawn match. By comparison, his matches in this series have been easier even when it went to the finals. The experience he gained from his previous matches in the Australian open must have sharpened his skills after all.

Since he is relatively new to pro tennis, he doesn't know what his current ranking is but he couldn't care less about that. All he knew is that he will be qualified again to enter for the next tournament- Wimbledon.

Wimbledon, the next tournament in the grand slam series, is perhaps the most widely known and prestigious of all. As such, it is also the most sought after title and attracts the best tennis players, pro or non pro alike. Ryoma cant wait for the tour to begin and he was lucky since having just finished the French open, he can consider his matches training enough as he he didn't have time for any training as the Wimbledon will start in a couple of weeks.

Ryoma might have conquered another title, but his father, Echizen nanjiro, the legendary samurai, have just won his first Tour of Masters title in Spain - Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid (Madrid Open). By the time Ryoma finishes Wimbledon, Nanjiro, assuming that he will win his next tournament (as if there's any doubt), will also have enough points earned to join the US Open. Should that happen, the father-son duo will finally meet each other on the court in a professional match.

Meanwhile, Tezuka and Fuji had also started their professional career. Tezuka went back to Japan, preferring to start his career there and work his way up until he feels he had enough experience to join the ranks of US tennis. Fuji on the other hand opted to stay behind. He is now slowly gaining recognition within the lower ranks, his genius easily spotted by veteran players. The fact the he is a personal friend and teammate to the samurai prince also added to his popularity.

In fact, Fuji was in the audience for Ryoma's winning match. He had never seen Ryoma play professionally in person and the reality of his friends genius and growth had blown the prodigy away. At the time when he saw Nanjiro's match, he was convinced that Ryoma doesn't stand a chance at beating his dad. Oh, the son will give the father a run for his money of course, but still the end result was fairly obvious as far as level of play is concerned. Now, having just witness Ryoma's match, Fuji wasn't too sure anymore. In the event that father and son will face off, the result is still up in the air.

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" _Ryoma!" _

Ryoma whirled around to where the familiar voice came from. He was surprised that someone else is left in the now deserted stadium when the match have ended more than an hour ago.

"_Fuji sempai_," Ryoma was astounded to see his one time team mate. _" What are you doing here. Arent you supposed to be in a tournament right now?"_

" _I didn't make it to the next round. Guess I still have a lot to learn," _Fuji explained. _" Unlike you, that was a great game. Congratulations on your win."_

" _Arigato," _Ryoma simply replied.

Fuji looked sharply at the younger boy. For someone who just won a title, he is displaying a considerable lack of enthusiasm. Knowing that Ryoma will speak when ready, Fuji remained silent and waited.

" _What did you really think of the match?" _Ryoma asked.

Fuji thought for a moment, trying to guess what the other is getting at. Finally he said, _" While it was a good game, it is a bit one sided. You have easily dominated the match early on in the game."_

Ryoma nodded, " _That's exactly it. Roddick was not playing in top form. His previous injury has obviously hindered his condition thus greatly affecting his level of play. Honestly, I didn't feel like I won at all."_

Fuji smiled to himself. He knew well the feeling as truly competitive people do, however, he knew Ryoma enough to know that there's something else that's bothering him. He decided to be blunt.

" _What is truly bothering you?" _Fuji asked the boy gently.

For a long while, Ryoma didn't speak , then he said, _" I thought I was getting stronger but if my opponents are not playing at their best then how can I measure my own strength and progress?"_

Fuji shook his head. " _Believe me, you have grown plenty. I cant believe how much when I saw the match. You are definitely a lot stronger now from the last time I saw you play."_

It was Ryoma's turn to shake his head. _" I know I am stronger but ….the question is…how much stronger? Am I strong enough? No offense sempai, but the last match of national is child's play to what I can do now. I have to know …and unfortunately the last matches I had didn't even require half of my skill."_

Fuji was amazed at what he is hearing. ….not half of his skill??? If that is true, then Ryoma's growth is immeasurable. Still, Fuji coudnt understand what the problem is. Turning to the other boy, he was just about to voice his question when Ryoma beat him to it.

" _I don't know if I am strong enough now to face my father. After all_ _these, I don't know if I can face him equally in court," _was Ryoma's frustrated explanation.

Ah, so that 's what it is, Fuji thought. _" I have seen both of your matches and let me assure you, you can more than hold your own in a match against your father."_

Ryoma sadly shook his head. " _Father wasn't playing seriously sempai. He was just bidding his time and playing around, waiting for me to get used to my new skills. He doesn't really need to earn his way into the ranking tournaments. He could easily join in right away just invitation. The only reason he did it this way is to give me experience and now, we are at crossroads and frankly speaking, I don't know how I'll measure up."_

Once again Fuji was blown away. Not playing seriously? The level of skill he'd seen Samaurai Nanjiro play is perfection itself. How can it be not serious. It was scary to think that he can still go beyond that level. These Samurais are truly a breed apart.

Fuji have to re evaluate his judgement. If Ryoma was right then the samurai prince still has some catching up to do. Now he can understand the other's frustrations and can even sympathize. If only there's a way he can help out but he knew he is not a worthy enough opponent for the boy.

Fuji's eyes gleamed as an idea began to form. He alone will not be enough but a group of geniuses might. After all, they also help in bring out Ryoma's potential.

" _Ryoma, how do you feel about a reunion?"_

" _Huh?"_

"_What do you say to Japan's tennis elite reunion?"_

Fuji watched as comprehension dawned on Ryoma's face before it broke into a delighted grin.

" _You really are a genius, Fuji sempai," _Ryoma exclaimed.


	7. Training Dilemna

**CHAPTER 6: TRAINING DILEMNA**

Fuji glanced at the boy beside him. Although unfazed as ever, Fuji can tell that Ryoma is also excited to meet his friends from his days in Seigaku. It has been almost a year since most of them saw Ryoma; seen him play and although the lot of them have also upped their own game, their difference in skill from the samurai prince is light years away. This reunion will certainly be beneficial to all parties involved.

Convincing these players to come was easier than he expected. Of course, the treat of going to the US and experiencing new culture was an added bonus but what really clinch the deal was the thrill of playing against the best of them all - Ryoma. However, planning did take time and since most of them have their own careers to take care of first, this reunion took a longer time than expected. As it is, the Wimbledon was well under way and as expected Ryoma breezed through the preliminaries and the first round. Now that it is the semi finals, the timing of this little reunion couldn't have been better.

Arriving at the luxurious villa, courtesy of Atobe Keigo, Fuji and Ryoma have barely gotten out of the car when the huge ornate double doors opened to show Japan's best youth tennis players.

Atobe was at the forefront as usual and beside him is the ever faithful Kobaji. Next stood Tezuka with his ever familiar stoic expression, then Yukimura, Sanada, Akaya, Chitose, Tachibana, Shinji, and Kikumaru who is glomping a small boy….is that Kintaro??

" Ochibi!" Kikumaru Eji hurriedly jumped forward to greet Ryoma with the familiar glomp.

" Koshimae," yelled an equally loud Kintaro hurrying after Eji in a race to reach Ryoma first.

Soon, a tug of war ensued between the two with Ryoma caught in the middle. Although grimacing in reaction to the over exuberant welcome of the other two, Ryoma nevertheless feel ridiculously happy with the attention. Soon, the others joined them and took turns in greeting him.

" Brat, I'm glad to know you're doing pretty well here. Now, it is your time to be awed by Ore-sama's prowess as I will conquer your tennis," the ever pompous monkey king greeted him.

" Cant wait to prove you wrong, monkey king," smirked Ryoma. He then turned towards the rest, starting with Tezuka.

"Buchoo," he greeted the other politely.

Tezuka shook his head. " I am no longer your captain, so you can drop the honorific." Ryoma shook his head but otherwise said nothing.

Yukimura came next. The delicate looking former captain of Rikkaida merely smiled and nodded his head in greeting. Sanada did likewise, albeit minus the smile. Akaya, on the other hand, gave him a semblance of a smile- an evil smile perhaps, but a smile nonetheless. It doesn't take a genius to guess what the three were thinking - it was hidden behind smiles but apparent in their eyes. All three couldn't wait to face him in a match and was already playing different scenarios in their heads.

Tachibana and Shinji each extended a hand in greeting., with the latter doing his usual monologue after the customary exchange of greeting, going on and on about Ryoma leaving and running off to US and not giving him rematch but now having a chance to finally beat the younger boy and on and on and on….until a smack in the head from his former captain brought him back to reality.

With a dubious look in Shinji's direction, Ryoma turned to Chitose who barely managed a nod in his direction as he was busy restraining the hyper Kintaro from tackling the young samurai. Finally, with a gesture from Atobe, Kabaji stepped in and with his impressive strength picked both Eji and Kintaro and carried them off a distance from the group. With an embarrassed glance and a murmured apology, Chitose ran after the trio or to be more precise to Kintaro, who continued on shrieking and yelling to be let down at the top of his voice.

" Sa..sa…," Fuji clapped to gain their attention, " now that everyone has a chance to greet Ryoma, shall we go inside and be more comfortable. Frankly, Ryoma and I are tired and hungry. Well discuss the rest while we eat."

At the mention of food, Eji and Kintaro, who apparently have excellent hearing, once again raced each other in entering the villa, presumably in the direction of the kitchen. Akaya, and Shinji surprisingly enough, followed closely in their heels. The rest of the more matured member of the group followed, sighing at the antics displayed by the others. Ryoma gave an inward smile, enjoying the light atmosphere and the company of his friends.

The villa was as impressive inside as it was outside. As expected of the super rich Atobe, the place was luxury personified, a bit over the top but magnificent nonetheless. For Ryoma, the most impressive of all was the presence of six courts - 3 lawn tennis courts and 3 hard courts, all in perfect condition. Now, Ryoma understood why it has to be this particular villa, for what better way to practice for Wimbledon than in a grass court and hard courts for the US Open. His sempais really did think of everything.

-----------------------

The ambience the following morning was a direct contrast to the merriment of the day past. Gone were the air of celebration, replaced by an atmosphere thick with tension as each player psyche themselves for the upcoming matches. Ryoma glanced at the people around him. Gone were the playfulness of yesterday and in its place were talented players eager to show off their skills. The air is thick with tension and anticipation as they waited for the acknowledge leaders in the group to announce the line up. From the heavy atmosphere, one might think that it is a major match and not just a practice match between friends, but then again, for serious players like them, every game counts, where the only goal is to win while playing to the best of each one's ability.

Finally, Tezuka, Atobe and Yukimura had decided on the schedules and matches. For their first day of training, everyone except Ryoma will be participating in matches. Everyone will have a chance of playing against each other, with the winner in each set given priority to play against Ryoma, like some sort of ranking games if you will. That way, no one can complain about the order of matches against the Samurai prince.

Meanwhile, Ryoma will do some serious body training. Being young, his physical development has not fully peaked and Inui had come up with a regimen to help build up his growth. Although the Seigaku data master wasn't with them, he had prepared a special training program for the samurai prince as soon as he learned of the special training for him. As expected of Inui, he had closely followed Ryoma's progress, gathered data and was able to pinpoint where Ryoma's weaknesses were.

And so the day began.

While the rest of the gang where busy playing their own matches, Ryoma got stuck with Tezuka as taskmaster. It was unanimously decided that Tezuka take up the role as he was the only one the cocky and arrogant Ryoma listens to without hesitation, and of course the fact that several Inui concoctions were waiting as penalty helped a lot in ensuring that Ryoma follows the program.

-------------------------

The following morning signals the start of matches between Ryoma and the first batch of winners. It was a no brainer that the first ones to win are Sanada, Atobe, Yukimura, Chitose , Tachibana and Fuji. It was decided that Ryoma will only play two matches a day as he still needs to do his own training regimen and the first set is Tachibana and Chitose.

Ryoma took his position in court and watched as Tachibana prepared to serve. Although his opponent was not a ranked tennis player, Ryoma wasn't taking the match lightly. He had never played the ex Fudomine captain before but has seen enough to know that he is a strong player. He had probably grown stronger since then, having joined the pro tennis world of Japan.

Although the other five courts are free, nobody made a move to play. Everyone were looking forward to seeing how the match will play out. It is also the first time, sans Tezuka and Fuji, that they will see how much the young samurai had improved from the last time they saw him play personally. Of course, all of them had caught at least one of his televised games but seeing him in action in person is so much different.

Tachibana was feeling understandably intimidated. He had never played Ryoma before but he knew what the other was capable of. He was already in awe of the other boy's tennis skills before Ryoma unlocked the final door, so now that he had probably mastered it, he had no expectations to win, he just hoped he'll not do to badly and maybe learn a thing or two.

Tachibana was right to be intimidated for twenty minutes later, he was soundly trounced in a 6-0 game. Tachibana was doubled over, utterly exhausted by the short match while Ryoma stood as composed as ever on the other end, obviously not breaking any sweat at all. _Dang, Ryoma has no mercy_, _he could have cut me some slack, _Tachibana thought but then again, he appreciated the fact that Ryoma respected him enough to play seriously. That's what why there here for after all.

Everyone was stunned. Although all knew that Ryoma will win, no one expected the match to be so one sided nor to end so soon. After all, Tachibana is one of the rising

stars in Japan's tennis circuit. To be beaten that badly, it boggles the mind how strong Ryoma really is. Everyone looked at Chitose who was next, eyes full of pity as they envisioned the slaughter that's sure to follow.

Chitose shook his head. "I will not be playing against Echizen," he raised his hand as the others started to protest, " Not that I am afraid of losing mind you, but my playing against Ryoma will not serve a purpose. It was more than clear that Ryoma's skills far exceeds our expectations. I doubt anyone here can be a worthy opponent for him," he challenged the group.

" So what do you suggest?" Tezuka asked.

Chitose took a deep breath, " I think we should double, no… triple team against him."

Surprisingly, it was Atobe who agreed first. " Although it defies the spirit of sportsmanship, I think it is the only way to bring out Ryoma's full potential." For once, Atobe forgot to be pompous, a clear indication of how shaken he was by Ryoma's level of play.

Everyone was silent for a moment, each pondering about the idea, then one by one they nodded in agreement and thus reached a decision. After a few more minutes, they have completely re-arranged the matches schedules and plays.

Ryoma, who was left all alone in a distance, not having moved from his spot during the game, warily watched as the others seemed to be having some sort of discussion. He was getting tired of waiting when Chitose finally made a move towards the opposite end of the court. He was about to make a snippy comment when Fuji and Sanada joined Chitose. Before he could asked what's going on, Tezuka explained." That game you had with Tachibana more than displayed the fact that we are no match for you individually, however, our collective skills might prove challenging enough to bring out your full potential, thus you will be playing against 3 opponents for every match."

Ryoma stared at his ex-captain for a moment before a huge smile appeared on his face. Truthfully speaking, he thought the same thing. When he was playing Tachibana, he thought he made a big mistake in taking this route as training. True, the others are skilled players but still way below his level and thus not a big help in strengthening his game. However, with this new development, even he will be hard pressed to win a game, much less a match. The fact that each player will have a different style just added challenge to the match, making it harder to predict which play will be used at a particular move. With a variety of plays and styles to compete against - ten altogether, Ryoma will no doubt grow stronger. Finally, Ryoma felt hope that he can win against his father.

.


End file.
